Commander Shepard's Rude Awakening
by Bronzedamazon
Summary: Commander Amiee Shepard was sleeping soundly in her bed, getting some much needed sleep when she realized that she was not alone.
1. Chapter 1

Commander Amiee Shepard wiggles in her bed, feeling something move under the thin, brown blanket with her. She doesn't want to get up, she's warm and feels like soaking up every ounce of sleep she possibly can. Amiee decides to ignore it, pulling the blanket back up to her shoulder and again closes her eyes. The wriggle moves up her right thigh, waking her again from her much needed sleep.

"What the hell!" She screams as she throws back the blanket and stands on the foot of the bed, looking in haste for whatever trespasser has made it into the bed with her. "I know there's something in here." She starts to rifle through the blanket, eventually throwing in on the ground beside her. The sheet is in a jumbled ball, sitting by her feet. She lifts the corner and jumps off the bed leaving her assailant sitting there in all its might.

"Eeeeeek!" Aimee screamed as she moved to the couch, getting up off the floor as quickly as possible. "No fucking way! No fucking way! Edi! Thane! Someone get in here and handle this thing!" Eight eyes peered back her from the bed, inches from where she was just standing. The spider was easily the size of her hand and covered in brown fuzz. It wiggled towards the edge of the bed slowly, facing Aimee as she continued to scream out for help.

"Someone! Anyone! Get in here and fucking do something!" Amiee continued to scream as the spider looked at her with some hidden agenda. It creeped a few inches back from the edge of the bed and lunged at full force, flying through the air with ease as it landed on the coffee table in front of the couch. It squirmed for a minute from the impact of the landing, until it again peered up at Shepard.

"Nope! No way in hell!" Shepard, staying on the couch, she started to run across the sofa to get away from her brown furry friend, "Not happening! This isn't happening!" She was now on the love seat, as she stopped her haphazard run across the cushions, most of which were now laying on the floor. The spider had slowly turned while she had made her daring escape, facing her again as she stood there helpless and unprotected from its gaze.

"Don't do it! Don't you even think it." She pointed her finger at the creature, trying to negotiate with the enormous bug. The spider again fidgeted in place, looking as though it was contemplating making another jump. Shepard looked beside her, trying to find something that she could use to squash the thing without having to get much closer, without giving it the chance to pounce on her. The sight of a data pad on the floor caught her eye, the perfect size and weight for something that would squash the villain.

Slowly she slipped one foot off the edge of the couch, placing it on the floor without ever taking her eyes of the bug. The spider remained in its spot as it slowly started to rub its front two legs against one another. Amiee slowly placed her second foot on the tile, waiting for a moment before starting to kneel down for the data pad. She wrapped her fingers around the slick, refined glass and started to smile, feeling as though her victory over the evil doer was within her grasp.

"No hard feelings, but I hate bugs." Amiee beamed as she raised the data pad up over her head, preparing to squash the bug.

"Siha? I heard you calling though the communication system. I wanted to ensure…" Thane's voice was quickly drowned out by sea of Aimee's screams, as the spider used the opportunity to strike with her distracted. It leaped onto the right side Aimee's chest, causing her to dance around like she had lost her mind. She flailed her arms and bounced from one foot to another, shaking and twisting in an attempt to make the spider come loose.

"Get it off, get it off, get it off!" She screamed, each word louder than the last.

"Siha, if you… will… be still!" Thane tried to grab her several times but Aimee continued to throw herself around the room. Suddenly, Thane was able to grab her by her shoulders and pluck the spider off her chest, holding the creature around the middle as he gazed at her in bewilderment.

"I… It jumped! I was… I was attacked!" Aimee turned red as Thane shook his head at her.

"You will never cease to amaze me Amiee, you can face down something as gigantic as a reaper but something such as this can bring you to your knees." Thane goes towards the door, "No worries, I shall dispose of this for you." With a nod of his head he was gone, leaving his Siha there to calm herself down.

Aimee stood there, chest heaving in exasperation from the run around her cabin. Something told her that she had won the battle, but the war was just beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

Commander Amiee Shepard was still on edge from the spider incident that had happened the night before, causing her to take extra precautions as she made her rounds on the Normandy. Aimee had decided that she would put a new pattern in her nighttime routines from now on that would start with the removal all the linens on her bed. The extra time and dedication to searching for the eight legged monsters would be worth it, she would be able to sleep without fear of anything attacking her.

"Siha, I can assure you that I removed the pest from your presence. Please rest easy." Thane told her as she was preparing to leave Life Support.

"It was a huge spider! You think that I'm not going to be looking for all of its little friends living in my room? Living on my ship?" Thane again tried to comfort her, tell her that it was a singular creature that had happened to sneak on board, but Amiee wouldn't have it. She was certain that there were more of the creatures lurking within the metal walls of the ship.

After her most recent mission that involved saving Miranda's sister, Shepard decided that she had earned a much needed break and shower. She started to strip out of her armor as soon as the elevator reached her floor, making it into her bathroom in record time. Amiee turned the shower on, giving the spray a few minutes to reach its maximum heat before closing the door behind her. She rubbed her neck for a moment as she slipped inside the stream, bathing in the warm water and closing her eyes. Amiee took a step back, brushing her hands over her face and hair to remove the excess water. She opened her eyes as she gazed upon a huge spider sitting on top of the shower head.

"Ahhhhhh!" Amiee screamed as she forced herself into the corner of her shower, "No, not again!" She looked for her shampoo bottle to squash the beast and retreat to the safety of her room. The spider rubbed together his two front feet in haste as he prepared to jump onto the commander.

"Please don't do it! Please don't make me kill you!" She begged as she recognized that the bug was about to leap onto her again. Her pleas fell upon deaf ears as the bug sprang into action, landing on her shoulder. Before Amiee had a chance to react to the creature crawling on her skin, the spider plunged his fangs into her shoulder and began to pump her full of his venom. She screamed in horror as she felt herself become numb and eventually falling into a ball at the base of the shower stall.

"Siha? Siha are you okay?" Thane's voice called to her as her eyes began to flutter. Amiee quickly took a look around, expecting to still be in her cabin. The smell of antiseptic told her that she had been moved to medical bay while she was unconscious.

"Commander, it looks as though you took a nasty spill. Luckily Thane was able to dress you and bring you down here." Dr. Chakwas moved towards her, shining a bright light in her face. Amiee put her hand up to block the light, trying to recall what caused her to slip in the shower.

"I was in the shower." She put the base of her palm against her forehead as she squinted her eyes, "There was a spider. It…" Amiee grabbed for her shoulder, "The fucker bit me!" She pulls down her shirt revealing two huge holes that are purple, lined with bright blue veins.

"Siha!" Thane looked at the bites, "I had assumed that you slipped."

"Commander, please be still. I'm going to have to grab a sample and run some tests. My, that is a nasty wound." Dr. Chakwas waved her omni-tool over her shoulder as Amiee poked the gashes with her finger.

"I thought you got rid of the stupid thing." She looked at Thane sternly, "How the hell did it end up in my shower?"

"I disposed of it through the normal method that is located in Zaeed's room." Aimee shook her head.

"I should have just squashed it." Amiee tried to smile as Dr. Chakwas swabs her bite mark, "Damn it that hurts!"

"As well as it should Shepard, if it didn't hurt I would worry for your sanity." She moves back over to her desk, "You can leave, I'll run some tests and see what I find."

"Thanks Doc." Amiee stands up and adjusts her shirt as she heads for the exit.

"Ssssssshepard." A hissing voice that causes her to stop as she enters the mess, making her take stock of those crewmen sitting around the table enjoying their meal.

"Did one of you say something?" They looked at one another, shaking their heads no as they continued to eat. "Hunh, that's odd." Amiee brushed her fingers through her short black hair.

"Sssssshepard!" The voice screamed at her again as she started towards the elevator.

"Kasumi! If you are cloaked and following me, so help me I will hurt you."

"Dooooooown here." Aimee looks at her feet, seeing the brown spider from earlier clinging to her pant leg.

"Oh for the love of all that is holy!" She reared her hand back, preparing to squash the bug that had been plaguing her for the past two days.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaait! I can explain." Shepard stops, staring at the bug that was slowly making its way up her leg.

"I hate spiders! Please tell me I'm not talking to a fucking spider."

"Itttttttttttttttttttttttttt worked? You can understand me?" The creature stopped in the middle of her thigh, rubbing its feet together.

"If you don't get the hell off of me, I will kill you." Amiee said flatly, "Squash you here and now."

"Pppppppppppppplease, I need your help."

"Nope, I don't talk to bugs, I don't like bugs… I'm hallucinating. Thane! Thane, I'm seeing spiders everywhere!" She shrieked as she headed back to med bay.


	3. Chapter 3

Amiee Shepard watched as the medical bay doors flew open in front of her. Dr. Chakwas was still sitting at her desk with Thane over her shoulder as she worked at her console.

"Get it off! It's talking to me and I am really getting ready to commit myself." Amiee motioned towards her leg where the spider was clinging on to her uniform. "It says it needs help, that I need to help it, and it's a bug!"

"Siha," Thane moved to grab the bug off her as it made a loud hiss, and started to rub its front two legs together again, "It seems as though it will not permit me to remove it from you this time."

"You think?" Amiee looked at the creature that was hanging on to her for dear life, " Alight, fine. You don't what to get off of me? Then you sure as hell better start to explain what the hell this is all about!"

"Wwwwwwwwe are at war, same as you Commander. I believe that we may be in position to help you with these collectors that you face." The spider hissed.

"Nope. You are a bug. Not just a little bug that crawls around unnoticed, you are a huge fucking spider, and you've bit me." She rubbed her temples, forcing herself to look at Thane, "Please tell me you can hear this thing talking?"

"Unfortunately Commander, we have not heard a thing." Dr. Chakwas continues to watch from her desk, eyes fixated on the massive insect, "Edi, can you please contact Dr. Solis and tell him that his presence is needed here in medical bay."

"Ppppppplease Commander, just listen to what I have to say." The spider slowly starts to creep up her thigh, causing Amiee to cringe, "We may be able to assist one another. War is coming for both our kinds."

"You don't think that I know that? I've fought a reaper and now humans are disappearing from colonies without a trace. I am going to stop them, by whatever means ncessary. What does this have to do with you?" She shudders as the spider comes to a halt.

"Mmmmmmmy name is Ulb Ajnin, I am the king of my kind. I believe you have met one of our queens in the past, even freed her rather than killing her."

"Are you saying that you are related to the rachni?"

"Yyyyyyyyyyes, among many species it is known that the females are bigger than the males. Please don't sound so surprised." Ulb wiggles on her leg as Mordin comes into the med lab.

"Shepard, received message and came as quickly as I could, was in the middle of working on a possible solution for the collectors but heard need in Chakwas' voice." He noticed the spider that was resting on Amiee, "Is this the reason that you called me from the lab?"

"Yes! The damn thing is talking to me and telling me it's the fucking king of the rachni. Not to mention it bit the hell out of me when I was in the shower."

"Ssssssssshepard, war… war is coming with the smrow, they will seek vengeance against all forms of life in the galaxy for the years of oppression."

"Seriously Ulb, you need to shut up." Amiee tells him as she looks at Mordin, "I need to know that I'm not crazy because I was injected with some super venom when this thing bit me."

"Need samples, run tests, it will take time to determine whether the compound you were injected with is affecting neurological performance. Have you taken samples?" Chakwas nods her head, "Excellent, I shall begin this immediately." Aimee watches as Mordin leaves.

"Can someone please get this damn thing off of me? Look Ulb or King, I don't like bugs and here you are, crawling all over me. So I'm asking nicely that you allow Thane to grab you and set you somewhere that isn't me." She closes her eyes as her lover seizes the assailant from her uniform.

"Cccccccccccommander, I assure you that I mean no harm to you, I had to make you speak with me. I have no telepathic ability like the females." Thane places the spider on a lab desk as Shepard continues to stare at it.

"Biting me didn't help with the whole trust thing. Now explain these smrow and what they have to do with anything."

"Tttttttttttthe smrow are a race of insects that have the ability to transform into other creatures as they age. They are viewed as the liars of all our people. You can think of them as the weasels that your kind had on Earth. They have been plotting against all other species for centuries and are ready to up rise."

"You know that this is crazy? Why would a bunch of bugs seek vengeance on the universe?"

"Thhhhhhhhhhhhhhey are smarter than you think, they have endured for many cycles on other worlds and the reapers have paid them no attention. They are waiting for the right time, the time that is soon approaching."

"Time for what?" Aimee squats down to meet Ulb at eye level, "What are they planning?"

"Thhhhhhhhhey will ensure that the reapers will enslave the rachni, using them as pawns against you. When you are irradiated they will make themselves known, and spend the next 50,000 years perfecting their plan to enslave the reapers."

"Great, so now I'm going to have to work with the giant fucking spider that bit me in order to stop the smrow from getting us all killed." Amiee looks at Thane, "Don't kill it… and sure as hell don't tell Tali that I'm talking with a giant spider."

"Siha, has it said something of interest to you?"

"Looks like the rachni might be an ally in the war, Ulb here is the king of the bugs and we are going to work together." Aimee shakes her head, "Assuming that this isn't some awful trip that the little fucker sent me on from biting the shit out of me in the shower."


	4. Chapter 4

**_I just wanted to stop and take a quick moment to thank you Afterlifer's who have inspired the story here. It's a quick little fun one over some discussion that happened in the forum/FB. I love the reviews and am interested to see where it goes!_**

**_Love y'all!_**

* * *

Unsure of what to think about the little rachni king that was calling himself Ulb, Amiee Shepard was staring at the creature as he rubbed his feet together while sitting on top of a table in the mess. She had spent her life dealing with the craziness that the universe had thrown at her feet, but this leaving her at a total loss. Ulb had been relatively silent since Aimee had screamed at the other crew members that were lolly gagging around the area, telling them to get back to work else be faced with the unfortunate meeting of her fist in their middles.

"How did you get on my ship?" Aimee folded her arms as she gazed at the 6 black eyes on the front of the spider, "I need to know what kind of force you arrived with."

"Tttttttttthere are 43 of us still living in various locations on this vessel. We are watching over every member of the crew in some form or fashion."

"Not what I asked. Let's try this again." Shepard leaned forward, "How the hell did you get on my god damn ship?"

"Wwwwwwe came on board with the kitchen supplies from Zakera Café. The moment that you placed the order we secured position in the crate. Once in the shuttle bay we dispersed throughout the ship."

"I went in for good grub, I get bugs. I feel an angry communication going to someone that works there." Amiee looks at him again, "So you have critters all over my ship? Spying on my crew?"

"Ttttttttthey are there as a precaution only. We do not want any of you falling victim to the reapers or smrow. Understand that they are not meant to be a threat Commander."

"You're serious? You know I'm not the only one that doesn't like bugs." Amiee smirks, "Have any of your people been killed yet?"

"Nnnnnno. There is a quarian in engineering that has us on edge. Perhaps you can speak with her and tell her of our arrangement." Ulb stops rubbing his feet together and looks at Aimee who sighs. She touches her omni-tool and sends a message to Tali to meet her on the crew deck.

"This will be fun. She hates bugs in general and has a special kind of relationship with spiders." She can't help but smirk of the idea of Tali rounding the corner to see the massive tarantula sitting on the table. "This might be epic here in a minute actually."

"Iiiiiiiiiis there something that I am missing Commander?" Ulb starts to wiggle again.

"No, you aren't missing anything. Tali has impeccable aim though Ulb, be mindful when you see her approaching." Aimee brushes her fingers through her hair, "Very mindful."

"Tttttttttthank you for the warning, it is something that I will be mindful of during our introductions." Ulb starts to lift his legs one at a time, giving the appearance of stretching.

"Shepard, you had asked to see me here on the crew deck rather than…" Tali looks up from her omni-tool, stopping as she notices that there is something amiss. The bug squirms on the table in anticipation as she takes another step towards Aimee, "Spider?" She asks quizzically, letting the full form of the creature come into view. "Spider!" She yells as she searches for something to throw at Ulb who is continuing to move further from the screaming quarian.

"Tali stop!" Amiee has a smile on her face as she quickly finds her way to her feet. Seeing her grab the data pad on the other table Amiee grabs Tali's mid-section and pulls her back from Ulb.

"Spiders! I hate spiders! Those beady eyes, those long gangly legs! Kill it!" Tali squeals as she tosses the data pad in the direction of the creature. Ulb reacts quickly, jumping onto Aimee's shoulder in an attempt to seek cover.

"MMMMMmake her stop Commander." Ulb whispers to her as he nestles against her neck. Aimee shudders as the small prickly hairs along his legs graze her skin.

"Kill it!" Tali smacks her forcefully in her chest, causing Aimee to release her. She runs to the opposite of the mess hall, grabbing the data pad that had narrowly missed the rachni king just moments earlier. She holds up the device, ready to strike should the creature make a move.

"Stop it Tali, he's an ally." Amiee puts her hand up to her neck, allowing the spider to crawl gingerly from its spot behind her ear into her palm. "You aren't going to hurt it."

"Commander? Have you lost it? It's a blasted spider!" Tali continues to hold the data pad like a loaded weapon.

"It's the king of the Rachni, Ulb."

"Keelah Shepard tell you me are joking?" Tali takes another step back, slightly lowering the data pad, "How the hell do you know he's related to the rachni?"

"He told me." Aimee looks from the spider back to Tali.

"Are you some kind of spider whisperer now? I think you need to have your head examined by Chakwas." Concern dots Tali's voice as she looks at Amiee, "I wasn't aware that the pressure of everything was getting to you."

"It's not a joke this is as real as it gets. Chakwas has already examined me and aside from the bite Ulb gave me earlier I'm fine." Aimee smiles as she looks at Ulb, "I wanted to talk to you about his associates."

"More of the little bosh'tets? No, no no no… I will not let those things near me." She lowers the data pad, "They're spiders."

"It's for your protection Tali, besides from my understanding you won't even know that they are there."

"Shepard, this is… Are you sure?" She rubs the top of her mask with the back of her hand, "I mean really sure?"

"For now yes." Amiee smiles, "But as we know, things around here are subject to change."

"So those things, are going to be living in engineering and watching every move that I make." Tali sets the data pad on the table.

"These rachni are going to assist us with a few things. You were the one most afraid of them and I wanted to take a moment to address this with you personally." Amiee pauses for a minute, "Edi, bring the crew into the conference room. I don't need some interspecies incident because I didn't make some formal fucking announcement."


	5. Chapter 5

Shepard stands outside the doors of the conference room rehearsing what exactly she was going to tell the people that were serving on the Normandy under her command. These people had given her their trust to her and she was about to tell them that she was speaking with a spider the size of her hand. Amiee ensures that Ulb is still nestled against her neck, a spot that the two of them had become quite comfortable with for the small amount of time that they had spent together since she had been bitten. She felt that knowing where he was at all times was important and feeling his spindly legs continually brush against her neck was reassurance that he hadn't gone anywhere.

_I hate spiders but him being there is somehow becoming refreshing in a way... like he belongs there with me... Knock it off Amiee, you need to focus on what you are here to do._

Shepard nods her head hello to the crew as she walks into the room with a familiar whoosh of the doors opening to her.

"We have to talk. I've just been made aware that there is another ally here in our midst, and I want to ensure that we are working together to thwart the reapers. They are not your average allies, but at this point in time we are all working together to achieve a common goal for our galaxy." Amiee puts her hand to her neck, allowing Ulb to slowly make his way onto her hand.

"Shepard, that thing, it's a bug. Tell me you aren't serious." Jacob looks at Ulb, putting his hands on the table in front of him.

"Are congratulations in order here Mr. Taylor? I thought you wouldn't have any issues recognizing a spider but with that sentence you leave me wondering about your ability to recognize basic organisms." Amiee smirks as the spider maintains balance in the palm of her hand. "This is Ulb, a rachni king."

"I've heard of some pretty crazy things in my time Shep, but if you expect me to believe that you are talking to an insect I'm going to have to ask if you've been seen by Chakwas." Garrus stared from the other side of the room at her, piercing blue eyes focused on her own as he looked for evidence that she was feeling ill.

"What's with you people saying that? Chakwas and Mordin are both well aware of the situation. This is just me making sure that you are aware that you are not alone on the Normandy. The eyes of the rachni are upon you, ensuring that the smrow are not able to catch us off guard." Amiee let's here eyes meet each of the crew's, hoping that they can see the resolve that she has about the entire situation.

"Damn Shep, you really expect us to buy this bullshit? You're talking to bugs?" Jack reached out to poke the spider, causing Ulb to hiss violently. "What the fuck Shepard, is this little bitch hostile?"

"It's not like he can relay what he's thinking to you Jack. Ulb here bit me, causing me to understand whatever you want to call his language. The basic breakdown is that there is an uprising among the insects of the galaxy, and that these smrow are going to aid the reapers unless we work together. Ulb has several guards stationed in various locations of the ship. Do not, under any circumstance kill anything that looks like a spider."

"You can't be serious Shepard, the implications here are..."

"I know Miranda, and I am well aware of the words that are coming out of my blasted mouth. Do not kill the spiders, that's a fucking order." Amiee nods her head, "That's all, you're dismissed." She stands in the conference room, arms folded across her chest as she methodically looks at each ship mate leaving her presence. Mordin remains still, waiting for the remaining personnel to leave them alone.

"Mordin, I'm guessing there is a reason you waited to speak until everyone else has left."

"Astute observation Shepard, analyzed the venom that was injected into your chest by our newest guest on the Normandy, found it to be high in concentration of numerous neuro-toxins that would normally wreak havoc on human physiology however due to the enormous among of cybernetic upgrades from your friends at Cerberus it has caused little damage aside from the initial spot of penetration." Mordin looks at Ulb who is still resting on Amiee's palm. "You are feeling more attached to the creature, it's written across your facial features... Interesting."

"What did you just say?" Shepard looks at Mordin, as she resists the urge to fling the spider across the room, "Did you just tell me that I'm starting to like this thing?"

"Iiiiiiii'm not just some thing, I'm king of..."

"Shut up Ulb, can't you see that the grown ups are talking?" Amiee looks at the six beady eyes, her head swimming with the idea she could care about this arachnid.

"It's understandable, the toxins injected into your system will not simply be filtered and burned out like so many poisons that would normally be taken care of by your implants, these are.. hmm... improved. They have the ability to combine with certain genetic sequences, causing you to absorb parts of rachni MRNA, thus giving you the ability to understand Ulb."

"Did you just tell me that I'm part spider?"

"When it comes down to what your genetic configuration currently is, yes." Mordin blinks at her, a smile crossing his face.

"Fuck that noise." Amiee looks at Ulb, her desire to squish him underneath her boot growing, "You made me part fucking spider?"

"Tttttttttttthere were limited options. Not only are you part spider, I had to have our scientists..."

"Don't tell me that you have scientists. Rachni, do not have, scientists. This is so..."

"IIIiiiiii apologize Amiee. You are correct in assuming that we do not have scientists." Ulb begins to crawl up her arm, making her shudder, "This may be to much for you to take in."

"To much to take in? You just made the human spider queen of the god damn galaxy and you're telling me what I can fucking handle?" Amiee shuddered, "Is this shit permanent?"

"The answer would be, yes. Now part of your genetic make up, you are not as human as you once were. You may have other involuntary responses." Mordin starts to scan her with his omni-tool.

"This is just fan-fucking-tastic. If I start to crave bugs or spin webs you're going to have bigger problems than the smrow Ulb." Amiee shakes her head as she sits down in the chair. "Much bigger problems."


	6. Chapter 6

Amiee watched the door whirl open to her cabin, being thankful that just for a moment she wasn't going to be with Ulb nestled against her neck. The little rachni bastard had changed her entire physiology the moment that she was bitten and injected by whatever hellacious concoction that had wrapped around her genetic make-up. She needed someone to relieve the building tension, a moment of calm amidst the stormy waters that were lurking on the horizon.

"Thane." Shepard gave a coy grin as she turn on her com, "Can you come see me for a few moments. There is something on my mind I believe _you_ can help with."

"As you wish, I am on my way, Siha." The line went quiet as she collapsed in exhaustion on her bed. She let her hands graze over the soft fabric, noticing every thread of the linen.

"What?" She thought about it for a second, "I can feel everything, every little… Oh god, I'm sensitive to touch…" Amiee sat up, running her hand over her own pores of her skin that adorned her arm, taking notice of each little dip that would have otherwise been known as smoothness to any other human.

Amiee stood there, trying to make sense of what she was feeling as she rubbed the temples of her forehead. Mordin hadn't mentioned anything to her about spider senses… changing her genetic something or other so that she could speak with the little creeper, but not this.

She looked across the room, letting her eyes focus on the wall across from her for a moment. Amiee took a deep breath, deciding to test herself so that she could know what gifts had suddenly been thrust at her. She strained her eyes as she stared at the same spot when suddenly everything turned a steel grey.

"What the hell?!" She growled, feeling momentarily paralyzed by the sight of microscopic swirls that had taken over her vision. Amiee had zoomed in so close to the wall using her sight that she had lost all peripheral vision, only able to see the wall that was easily yards away from her. She closed her eyes, attempting to relax them so she could see normally again.

"Shit…" Amiee stood up as she reopened her eyes, brushing her fingers through her hair and feeling every cuticle scrape against her digits. "Shit, shit…" Just then the mechanical door whined, revealing her drell lover who was ready to serve his beloved Amiee.

"Shepard, you look as though there is something that has startled you." Thane slightly tilts his head to the side, trying to place the look that was on the woman's face.

"I have... issues." Amiee takes a deep breath, smelling an intoxicating scent of redwood and leather. "Are you wearing something?"

"Pardon?" He smiles, "I am wearing the same thing that you have seen me in on most days."

"No, no, no… Wearing like a spray? Or using soap with a scent?" Amiee slinks over to him, taking deep breaths as she notices the aroma more and more with every step in his direction.

"I believe you may need to see Dr. Chakwas, your behavior seems a little more erratic than normal." Thane tries to stifle a chuckle as Amiee sniffs the side of his neck.

"You smell amazing, like a… I can't…." She lets her eyes meet his. "Have you always smelled like this?"

"I am afraid that I cannot take pleasure in understanding what you are talking about, Siha. Perhaps this is a human euphemism that I am not comprehending." Thane just smiles as Amiee reaches out to touch his skin. She stares intently as her finger traces his jaw line, feeling every scale that is so microscopic it gives the illusion of tight green leather flesh.

"Maybe you should go…." Amiee closes her eyes, taking another deep breath as her senses flood with the musk being exuded from Thane. "I might need to be alone after all."

"If that is your wish…" Thane blinks, trying to place the reaction that she is having to him, "Although I do not feel as though you should be alone based on recent events. Knowing that the ship is full of… creatures is enough to put anyone on edge."

"You mean the spiders." Amiee feels herself tense, not sure where it's coming from. "Look, they aren't that bad. I'm going against the reapers and I'm taking any help I can get."

"You are in command; I will not question your judgment." Thane nods his head, "Should you change your mind about being alone, I will ensure that I am available for you."

"Thane, I wasn't trying to dismiss…" Amiee jerks, hearing a loud bang against the metal wall in her bathroom and what could only be described as a high pitched whine. "The hell was that? Fuck no… I'm not dealing with more crap. Not while I'm going through this shit."

"Shepard… Are you.."

"Shush! Tell me you fucking hear that, Thane?" Amiee is almost in a dead sprint to the other side of the room, pressing the button to open her bathroom and sticking her head in. She looks in the bottom of her shower, seeing a spider smaller than Ulb that's struggling with what she could only describe as a caterpillar in its fangs. The two creatures start to screech, the bright yellow squiggle that spanned about 6 inches curved like an "s" in the clutches of this rachni.

"I…" Thane looks over her shoulder, lack of words clearly his biggest issue at the moment as Amiee shudders.

"It's a smrow." She says flatly, "They're here on my ship." She gives a grin as she watches the furry yellow body become limp. "Where is Ulb?"

"I will locate him and bring him to you, Shepard." Thane quickly takes off, Amiee hearing the hum of the door as he left her alone with her would be assassin.

"I'm being attacked by smrow, and the people on this ship think_ I_ am crazy."


End file.
